Setlist Sunday: Rock Band 3

Much like how a lot of Guitar Hero fans might point to Guitar Hero II as being the best game in the series if not the financial/cultural peak, Rock Band fans will take a similar view to Rock Band 3. Released in October of 2010, Rock Band 3 took the already solid foundation of Rock Band 2 and expanded on it to an incredible amount.

The first addition was vocal harmonies which were functionally identical to the ones implemented in The Beatles and Green Day: Rock Band. Next, there was the keyboard, which was playable in two different setups. You had regular five button mode which charted they keys parts similar to guitar and bass parts, but then you also had Pro mode which allowed you to use the brand new keyboard peripheral to play the actual notes for the song on a two-octave keyboard. Also added was functionality for the drum cymbal expansions, allowing Pro Drums to be played where, once again, the actual drum notes would be played with differentiation for toms and cymbals.

In my opinion, however, the coolest addition was the Pro Guitar, which was a brand new peripheral that doubled as a fully functioning MIDI guitar (a more expensive controller that was an actual Squier Stratocaster was also available if you could actually find it), and was the first real foray in to using video games to teach you guitar (I said REAL, Power Gig.)

Every on-disc song in Rock Band 3 had Pro Guitar functionality, but for DLC songs the Pro upgrade was a separate, $1 purchase, which puts the price in line with the cost of a Rocksmith song. Not every DLC song had them implemented, but they usually made sure to put at least one upgrade out per week, and typically on the songs you’d want to learn like Smells Like Teen Spirit, the entire 2112 suite, or even Through the Fire and Flames!

On the subject of DLC, certain songs released before Rock Band 3 definitely featured great keyboard parts and harmonies, so in an effort to address this, RB3 versions of songs were released. These upgraded versions of the songs mostly kept the charting the same, but added in harmony vocals and keyboard parts. Reception to these releases were… mixed. A lot of criticism was thrown at the fact that they were a full-on new DLC song instead of a free upgrade for people that bought the songs already, and because of this, only Bon Jovi and Queen actually received upgrades in the end.

The addition of keys really helped to shape a lot of the main setlist, with iconic riffs like Break on Through, Centerfold, Walk of Life, and Werewolves of London all being part of the main game. That’s not to say the rest of the band was left out, of course, with songs like Roundabout, Crazy Train, and 25 or 6 to 4 providing ample fun for all instruments! Overall, 83 songs were featured making it in line with its contemporaries.

Of the 83 songs featured in Rock Band 3, 23 are currently playable in Rocksmith Remastered for a total of 27%. This is substantially lower than Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock‘s 39/36%, and on the lower end of the Rock Band spectrum in general.

Artist

Song

Date in Rocksmith

Amy Winehouse

Rehab

N/A

Anthrax

Caught in a Mosh

03/24/2015

At the Drive-In

One Armed Scissor

N/A

Avenged Sevenfold

Beast and the Harlot

10/30/2012

The B-52’s

Rock Lobster

N/A

The Beach Boys

Good Vibrations (Live)

N/A

Big Country

In a Big Country

N/A

Blondie

Heart of Glass

N/A

Bob Marley and the Wailers

Get Up, Stand Up

N/A

The Bronx

False Alarm

N/A

Chicago

25 or 6 to 4

10/22/2013

The Cure

Just Like Heaven

03/19/2013

David Bowie

Space Oddity

01/17/2012

Deep Purple

Smoke on the Water

11/15/2011

Def Leppard

Foolin’

N/A

Devo

Whip It *

N/A

Dio

Rainbow in the Dark

01/20/2015

Dire Straits

Walk of Life

N/A

The Doobie Brothers

China Grove

07/22/2014

The Doors

Break on Through (To the Other Side)

09/15/2015

Dover

King George

N/A

Echo & The Bunnymen

The Killing Moon

N/A

Elton John

Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting

N/A

Faith No More

MidLife Crisis

07/28/2015

Filter

Hey Man Nice Shot

05/31/2016

The Flaming Lips

Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1

N/A

Foreigner

Cold As Ice

09/30/2014

Golden Earring

Radar Love

01/30/2018

HIM

Killing Loneliness

N/A

Huey Lewis & The News

The Power of Love

N/A

Hypernova

Viva la Resistance

N/A

Ida Maria

Oh My God

N/A

INXS

Need You Tonight

N/A

The J. Geils Band

Centerfold

N/A

James Brown

I Got You (I Feel Good) *

N/A

Jane’s Addiction

Been Caught Stealing

02/17/2015

The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Crosstown Traffic

N/A

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

I Love Rock ‘n Roll

N/A

John Lennon

Imagine

N/A

Juanes

Me Enamora

N/A

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Free Bird

11/01/2011

Maná

Oye Mi Amor

N/A

Marilyn Manson

The Beautiful People

N/A

Metric

Combat Baby

N/A

The Muffs

Outer Space *

N/A

Night Ranger

Sister Christian

N/A

Ozzy Osbourne

Crazy Train

N/A

Paramore

Misery Business

N/A

Phish

Llama

N/A

Phoenix

Lasso

N/A

The Police

Don’t Stand So Close to Me

N/A

Poni Hoax

Antibodies

N/A

Pretty Girls Make Graves

Something Bigger, Something Brighter

N/A

Primus

Jerry Was a Race Car Driver

06/23/2015

Queen

Bohemian Rhapsody

06/12/2012

Queens of the Stone Age

No One Knows

06/02/2015

Rammstein

Du Hast

N/A

Ramones

I Wanna Be Sedated

N/A

The Raveonettes

Last Dance

N/A

Rilo Kiley

Portions for Foxes

N/A

Riverboat Gamblers

Don’t Bury Me I’m Still Not Dead

N/A

Roxette

The Look

N/A

Slipknot

Before I Forget

N/A

Smash Mouth

Walkin’ on the Sun

N/A

The Smiths

Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before

N/A

The Sounds

Living in America

N/A

Spacehog

In the Meantime

6/5/2018

Steve Miller Band

Fly Like an Eagle

N/A

Stone Temple Pilots

Plush

12/22/2015

Swingin’ Utters

This Bastard’s Life

N/A

T. Rex

20th Century Boy

11/29/2011

Tears for Fears

Everybody Wants to Rule the World

02/28/2017

Tegan and Sara

The Con

N/A

Them Crooked Vultures

Dead End Friends

N/A

Tokio Hotel

Humanoid

N/A

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

I Need to Know

N/A

The Vines

Get Free

04/16/2013

WAR

Low Rider

N/A

Warren Zevon

Werewolves of London

N/A

The White Stripes

The Hardest Button to Button

10/14/2014

Whitesnake

Here I Go Again

N/A

The Who

I Can See for Miles

N/A

Yes

Roundabout

10/18/2016

NOTE: While Smoke on the Water is an original recording, the version used in Rocksmith uses an alternate take of the guitar solo.

* Indicates a re-recorded version of the track.

On a personal level, Rock Band 3 is one of my favourite rhythm game setlists of all time. Choosing only 10 that I want to see in Rocksmith is a neigh impossible task, but here’s what I came up with:

At the Drive-In – One Armed Scissor

While the vocals might grate on you slightly there’s a lot of interesting musical ideas from the boys that would become The Mars Volta in this song. ATDI pack when?

The Beach Boys – Good Vibrations

Somehow, only one Beach Boys song has ever appeared in a rhythm game before. That said, Good Vibrations is a fantastic pick (and my personal favourite Beach Boys track) and depending on how it’s charted, could lead to some great gameplay and tones in Rocksmith!

The Flaming Lips – Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1

A beautiful acoustic guitar part waits for you in this one that would be perfect for the new microphone mode, or really any other mode Rocksmith has. The Flaming Lips are my favourite band by a mile and I’d love to see them finally show up in Rocksmith Remastered!

Golden Earring – Radar Love

An iconic riff and a relentless guitar part make this classic rock gem a perfect Rocksmith choice!

Huey Lewis & The News – The Power of Love

Rocksmith has been on a bit of a run with fantastic 80s movie songs, but they’ve only scratched the surface of what’s there. Maybe the next 80s Mix Pack can kick off with this downright iconic riff and cross another classic soundtrack song off the list. It wouldn’t be the first Back to the Future song we get, after all!

Marilyn Manson – The Beautiful People

When I got my PRO Guitar, this was the first song in Rock Band 3 that I was really able to get down perfect. It’s nowhere near a complex song, but as an absolute beginner this is what really helped me wrap my head around chords and I’m sure that people picking up Rocksmith for the first time would be helped by this one too. Plus, we’re sorely lacking in industrial and this would go a ways to fix that!

Metric – Combat Baby

a fun power chord filled song with a few arpeggios, we’d love to see a Metric Song Pack!

Night Ranger – Sister Christian

One of the best 80s ballads ever.

Paramore – Misery Business

Pure high energy pop punk that never turns it down. Come on, Rocksmith! We desperately need more Paramore in the game!

Phish – Llama

If Trey’s guitar part doesn’t kill you Mike Gordon’s bass part certainly will

Steve Miller Band – Fly Like an Eagle

Just think of the fantastic tone that this would come with! Combine that with a slick and spacey guitar lead and I can’t think of too many songs that would be more fun to play in Rocksmith.

This game is a fan favourite for many reasons, not the least of which is the fantastic setlist. Plus, the PRO-Guitar/Bass implementation means that pretty much all of these songs have great guitar parts to learn! Which of these songs from Rock Band 3 do you want to see head over to Rocksmith Remastered? Let us know in the comments below.

I loved the split bar bass controller that they made for RB3. Mastering that gave me a leg up for learning to two finger a real bass with Rocksmith. I was really bummed that they didn’t bother make a pro bass controller like they did for guitar. Songs I’d like to see: Low Rider, Radar Love, Saturday nights’s alright for fighting, Combat Baby, In the Meantime, Centerfold, I need to know.

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1 year ago

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Chris S

I would like to see some phish added so it will take the rest of my life to play it right. Also if you add phish you will add thousands of devoted fans that will follow the game forever

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1 year ago

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jazzmic

Definitely a lot of them (and definitely not in order):

Beach Boys -- Good Vibrations
Huey Lewis & The News – The Power of Love
Marilyn Manson – The Beautiful People
Steve Miller Band – Fly Like an Eagle
Whitesnake Here I Go Again
The Who I Can See for Miles
War -- Low Rider
The White Stripes-Hardest Button To Button
The Police -- Don’t Stand So Close To Me
Maná -- Oye Mi Amor
I love Rock n roll -- Joan jett The Blackhearts
Living Colour -- Crosstown Traffic
INXS -- Need You Tonight (love this but might be a tad too repetitive)
Dover -- King George
Def Leppard -- Foolin
Dire Straits -- Walk of Life

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1 year ago

Guest

MarleySantana

Okay a couple of these are essential. I often throw Joan Jett’s song in with Johnny B Goode as essential in any music catalog. (Rest peacefully dear Chuck). Also, at this point, ANYTHING from Huey Lewis & The News as well as Steve Miller is welcome. Can never go wrong with more Marley.(obviously) Lastly, it’s high time we get deep into James Brown’s catalog.

Bob Marley & the Wailers -- Get Up Stand Up
Dire Straits -- Walk of Life
Steve Miller Band -- Fly Like an Eagle
Huey Lewis & the News -- Power of Love
James Brown -- I Got You
Mana -- Oye Mi Amor
Ozzy Osborne -- Crazy Train (not a big Ozzy fan but this song commands respect)
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts -- I Love Rock N Roll
War -- Low Rider
The Police -- Don’t Stand So Close to Me (NOT the ’86 version)

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1 year ago

Guest

MarleySantana

Oh wow! Just re-read that. There was no pun intended there. My bad.

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1 year ago

Guest

heavyal

In no particular order:
Dire Straits -- Walk of Life
Golden Earring -- Radar Love
Elton John -- Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts -- I Love Rock n’ Roll
INXS -- Need You Tonight
Steve Miller Band -- Fly Like An Eagle
Smash Mouth -- Walkin’ on the Sun
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers -- Need to Know
WAR -- Low Rider
Big Country -- In a Big Country
Blondie -- Heart of Glass
Warren Zevon -- Werewolves of London
The Who -- I Can See For Miles
The J. Geils Band -- Centerfold

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1 year ago

Guest

Where'sRammstein?

Not heard Metric before -- very catchy!
Ten songs from that list I’d like to see in Rocksmith:

Rammstein -- Du Hast
Echo & The Bunnymen -- The Killing Moon
Big Country -- In a Big Country
The Police -- Don’t Stand So Close to Me
Blondie -- Heart of Glass
The Jimi Hendrix Experience -- Crosstown Traffic
Metric – Combat Baby
Elton John -- Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting
The Smiths -- Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before
Huey Lewis & The News -- The Power of Love

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1 year ago

Guest

FFFunk

We can easily create many great “various artists” packs from this setlist. Mine would look like :
-- Def Leppard F-f-f-foolin !
-- James Brown I Got You (I Feel Good)
-- Paramore Misery Business
-- The Police Don’t Stand So Close to Me
-- Huey Lewis & The News The Power of Love